Observation Skills for CNAs

First, make sure you understand the nursing process and how CNA’s fit in with it.
When we think about it, CNA’s are the eyes, ears, hands and nose of the nurses. We use these senses when providing care and with the right skill, we can assist the nurse with valuable patient information that may avert a serious problem. Things get confusing though when we make judgments about the things we’re seeing, feeling, smelling and hearing.

There are two types of observations:
Subjective and Objective

Objective observations are fact. They are measurable.
• Vital Signs
• Bruises
• Open areas and other skin conditions
• Blood in urine
• Urine output from a cath

Objective observations are reported in the same manner by many people. They are not biased and they do not rely on statements and guesswork.

For the second type of observation.

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When You Need More Help: Alzheimer's Care Options

When you care for someone with Alzheimer’s or dementia at home — either theirs or yours — a time when you need more help will almost surely come. Though you may not know when, be prepared by knowing your options in advance.

• First, reach out to family members and friends for support. Asking for help from people you know can be more difficult than hiring professionals who are total strangers, but when you can’t be there, there is nothing like knowing your loved one is being cared for by someone you know and trust. Read How to… Delegate Elder Care Tasks for advice on asking for help.
• Research and access respite care, which essentially provides a break for the caregiver on a short-term basis. Respite care is now more readily available in senior living communities via short-term stays. 

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Fun Games Can Improve Quality of Life

Games for seniors are very beneficial because they can improve a senior's quality of life. Wouldn't you agree?

Games and activities can bring people together in groups and enhance a sense of belonging and participation. When people share laughter through games together it can help to bond people that otherwise feel no personal connection.

Laughter has its own benefit but games can also help improve memory, dexterity, reduce stress and remove a sense of isolation. All because they threw some bean bags together or beat their own high score or finished a puzzle.

Here are some games to keep in mind for the seniors in your care. Some are more suited to the elderly with some independence. Others are better suited to low functioning seniors and seniors with vision impairment, arthritis and dementia challenges.

Brain Games and Mind Games
Brain games for seniors are obviously good for exercising the mind and sharpening awareness skills.

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Discovering Benefits of Good Caregiver Support Group

When I was a practicing psychotherapist, I often referred patients to support groups, but was selective about whom to send. Support groups aren’t for everyone; they take a certain amount of “breaking in” and require commitment to be beneficial. I also issued a caveat – you won’t like every group; find one that fits for you and keep going back.

An article on AARP.org, written by a psychologist, addressed what makes an excellent caregiver support group and overcoming resistance to attending. Reporting on “one of the best caregiver support groups” he’d ever visited, he observed trust, support, connection and freedom to talk openly about feelings. This long-running support group was for caregivers of those with dementia.
What caregivers don’t realize until they experience a healthy support group is other attendees speak their language. Many people believe no one could possibly understand. The article emphasizes a support group is a safe place to “talk shop” – share strategies, help each other and compare similar caregiver experiences, especially those that are emotionally difficult.

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Unspoken Rules of Nursing Culture That Can Hurt Your Career

When Shelli was a new scrub nurse with only six months experience, she failed to anticipate that the surgeon would need a particular scalpel. Immediately, her preceptor deftly slapped the correct blade into the impatient surgeon’s outstretched hand with a glare in Shelli’s direction. The surgeon said nothing, but a look of disappointment briefly flashed across his face. At that moment, Shelli learned that if she was not on top of the surgeon’s needs, she would end up feeling embarrassed and looking incompetent. Shelli did not find the r​ules of the nursing culture in her orientation manual.

We learn these unspoken rules of the nursing culture very quickly in order to survive. We know which physician not to ever call in the middle of the night, which nurse talks about us behind our back when we ask a question, and whether we should even bother to write up an incident report or approach a coworker with a concern we have about ‘their' patient. This knowledge is vital to our survival because it determines whether or not we will be accepted by the group.

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When Shelli was a new scrub nurse with only six months experience, she failed to anticipate that the surgeon would need a particular scalpel. Immediately, her preceptor deftly slapped the correct blade into the impatient surgeon’s outstretched hand with a glare in Shelli’s direction. The surgeon said nothing, but a look of disappointment briefly flashed across his face. At that moment, Shelli learned that if she was not on top of the surgeon’s needs, she would end up feeling embarrassed and looking incompetent. Shelli did not find the r​ules of the nursing culture in her orientation manual. 

We learn these unspoken rules of the nursing culture very quickly in order to survive. We know which physician not to ever call in the middle of the night, which nurse talks about us behind our back when we ask a question, and whether we should even bother to write up an incident report or approach a coworker with a concern we have about ‘their' patient. This knowledge is vital to our survival because it determines whether or not we will be accepted by the group. 

- See more at: http://www.nursetogether.com/nurses-heal-thyself-a-culture-of-silence#sthash.3jF6pZwu.dpuf

Wellness Program Triples New Residents at Senior Community

A wellness initiative called the Vitality Program has not only focused needed attention on seniors’ highest health risk factors, it has tripled the sales of a Florida senior living community. As reported on SeniorHousingNews.com, North Florida Retirement Village, Inc. in Gainesville, Florida has had a big jump in occupancy and resident retention rates after weathering a downward track due to the shaky economy.

Through overall expansion and diversity, the company saw improved numbers, but community director Jim Antonucci gives most of the credit to the Vitality Program.
The program starts by giving residents a “vitality score” of 0 to 48, using criteria such as health issues, impairments, activities of daily living and life satisfaction scores. After receiving their scores, residents have customized recommendations for improving their health by using community resources.

Nurses on campus are accessible around the clock and home health aides and physical therapists are able to do evaluations in seniors’ homes. The Vitality Program is free to Village residents and to date, more than 97 percent of the 700 residents have taken the Vitality Assessment.

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Dressing to Impress: How this Impacts your Career

Taking the time to look your absolute best for your job can create short term and long term benefits for your life.


People who dress professionally and maintain their appearance project confidence, leadership, intelligence and a healthy degree of attractiveness in the eyes of any beholder. Not only are these theories supported by anecdotal evidence but by studies.

Dr. Frank Bernieri, an associate professor of psychology at Oregon State University, recently conducted just such a study in which he probed employers about the traits they deem most favorable of prospective applicants. Conservative, polished dress and a well groomed appearance was at the top of the list. Dr. Bernieri also found most employers make a decision in an interview about an applicant’s rightness for the job within 10-30 seconds of a first meeting.

This means you have literally the amount of time it takes your future boss to blink once or twice to impress them. And even after you get the job, ensuring your message of gravitas, integrity and efficiency remains strong is tantamount to staying crisp, coiffed, cuffed, clean—impeccably turned out at all times when on on the job.

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A Cure for Dementia?

Advances in genetics and pharmaceuticals could lead to a cure for dementia by 2020, according to United Kingdom Secretary of Health Jeremy Hunt.

“Finding drugs that can halt or cure dementia may seem a distant prospect now but there are drugs companies that think they will have a cure for dementia by 2020,” Hunt said at the recent Local Government Association conference in Manchester, according to The Telegraph.

The United Kingdom's Alzheimer's Society expanded on Hunt's remarks commenting: “Studies we're funding show that drugs which are already licensed for other conditions may also treat dementia. If these are successful, we could have them doubling as treatments for dementia within 10 years.”
More than 5 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease, and the Alzheimer's Association foresees the number increasing to about 13.8 million by 2050.

As more of the population develops dementia and a cure remains elusive, providing effective care for residents with dementia becomes even more important. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services held a webinar Wednesday to discuss the reduction of antipsychotics among residents with Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia. Facilities have achieved a 4% reduction in off-label use of antipsychotics among residents with dementia, but CMS is still aiming for a 15% average reduction.

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